Macrophomina phaseolina is the most devastating pathogen which cause charcoal rot and root rot disease in various economically important crops. Three strains M. Phaseolina1156, M. Phaseolina1160 and M. Phaseolina PCMC/F1 were tested for their virulence on sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L).The strains showed high virulence on both hosts with a disease score of 2 on chickpea and sunflower. The strains also increased the hydrogen per oxide (H2O2) content by 1.4-1.6 fold in root as well as shoot of chickpea and sunflower. A significant increase in antioxidant enzymes was observed in fungal infected plants which indicated prevelance of oxidative stress during pathogen propagation. The M. phaseolina strains also produced hydrolytic enzymes such as lipase, amylase and protease with solubilization zone of 5-43mm, 5-45mm and 12-35 mm respectively. The M. Phaseolina strains were identified by 18S rRNA and analyzed for genetic diversity by using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The findings based on RAPD markers and 18S rRNA sequence analysis clearly indicate genetic variation among the strains collected from different hosts. The genetically diverse strains were found to be pathogenic to sunflower and chickpea.

Nanotechnology has an increasingly large impact on a broad scope of biotechnological, pharmacological and pure technological applications. Its current use in bioenergy production from biomass is very restricted. The present study is based on the utilization of nanoparticles as an additive to feed bacteria that break down natural substances. The novel notion of dosing ions using modified nanoparticles can be used to progress up biogas production in oxygen free digestion processes. While minute nanoparticles are unstable, they can be designed to provide ions in a controlled approach, so that the maximum enhancement of biogas production that has been reported can be obtained. Nanoparticles are dissolved in a programmed way in an anaerobic atmosphere and are supplied in a sustainable manner to microbiotic organisms responsible for the degradation of organic material, which is a role that fits them well. Therefore, biogas fabrication can be increased up to 200%, thereby increasing the degradation of organic waste.